9 Best Places to Visit in Chennai for First-Timers
Check out the top places to visit in Chennai, from ancient temples to beaches and more! This post will guide you through the most iconic places to visit in Chennai and have an incredible experience as you journey to South India.
Planning a trip to Chennai? Then you’ve come to the right place! Chennai is known as the gateway to South India and there are plenty of things to do for fun. You can experience some of the history, culture and day-to-day life in Chennai during your visit.
This post features the top places to visit in Chennai for travelers. It includes the most iconic spots in the city and major tourist attractions. From massive beaches to historic temples to cultural museums and more, you’re bound to fall in love with the city!
I traveled to Chennai for the first time in 2019 and had combined it with a trip to Pondicherry, another amazing city on the coast of Tamil Nadu. I’ve gone back a few times since and have enjoyed each visit! It’s a great city to spend a few days while traveling to other parts of Tamil Nadu or South India.
This post is all about places to visit in Chennai.
Travel to Chennai, India: The Basics
Which is the best month to visit Chennai?
The winter months from November to February are the best months to visit Chennai. The weather is relatively mild between 20°C to 25°C (68°F to 77°F). It’s the coolest time of the year and since most of the things to do in Chennai require going outdoors for a bit, it’s the most enjoyable.
March to June are the summer months and it gets really hot, often around 40°C (around 100°F). It’s just not fun to try to go out in that kind of weather with the sun beating on you.
Monsoon is from July to September. The weather is cooler but Chennai also gets a lot of rain, so you’d need to be prepared to expect rain every day.
How many days are enough for Chennai?
I’d recommend 2–3 days to explore Chennai. Of course this will really depend on your travel style and how busy you like to be. You can see the most popular places to visit in Chennai within 2-3 days.
I’d recommend combining Chennai with a trip to other destinations in Tamil Nadu, like Auroville and Pondicherry for example. That way you can really make a worthwhile trip out of it. For ideas on where to go, check out these 7 Incredible Places to Travel in South India.
BUT, if you only have a weekend and are looking for a new place to explore, Chennai is a great fit.
What is famous in Chennai to eat? (You need to try South Indian food here!)
If you don’t know much about Indian food, there’s one thing you should know.. South Indian food is amazing! It’s popular all over the country but the best places to try it are naturally the south. Chennai is famous for their food and there’s so many options to choose from. Not to mention you have to get coffee while you’re there!
You can get these foods on the street or in restaurants, but I highly recommend you try them. Even though this post is really about places to visit in Chennai, I couldn’t help but mention some foods to try.
Order Dosa and idli vada. They will come with sambar and chutney and are really delicious to have any time of day, breakfast, lunch or dinner. Also you will find some amazing fish curries with coconut since it’s right along the coast.
Best Places to Visit in Chennai
#1 Marina Beach
Marina Beach is probably the most popular of these places to visit in Chennai! It’s a super long beach with a promenade that’s lively and full of people selling snacks and going for a walk. It’s actually the second longest beach in the world!
The beach is sandy and a nice place to hang out, but it’s not a beach I’d recommend swimming in. You can dip your feet in though. For a quieter experience you can go at sunrise and it’s really beautiful.
There is a lighthouse which you can go in, although to be honest it wasn’t super impressive in my opinion. There’s also little statues along the promenade. Marina Beach is an absolute must-see in Chennai and I’d recommend enjoying it by taking a walk or hanging out in the morning or evening when it’s not so hot!
#2 Santhome Cathedral
Santhome Cathedral is very close to Kapaleeshwarar Temple so you can do them both together! It’s a beautiful church with gothic style architecture. The inside has wooden carvings, marble statues and a decorated altar along with stained glass windows.
What’s most interesting about Santhome Cathedral is that it was built over the tomb of St. Thomas, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus. There’s also a small museum that has artifacts related to the life and times of St. Thomas. It’s definitely worth making a short stop to explore the cathedral!
#3 Kapaleeshwarar Temple
Kapaleeshwarar Temple is an ancient temple and the most famous temple in Chennai. It’s dedicated to Lord Shiva which is one of the most worshiped gods in Hinduism. It’s worth seeing because the architecture is quite impressive and also it’s an overall unique experience.
The temple is super colorful with lots of intricate carvings which is quite typical of the temples in South India. It can be a quick visit where you can walk in the temple (you have to remove your shoes), offer a prayer and look around to appreciate the beauty.
There are actually so many temples around Chennai! If you’re interested, you can also check out Parthasarathy Temple and Shri Ashtalakshmi Temple among many others.
#4 Mylapore
Mylapore is the neighborhood surrounding the Kapaleeshwarar Temple and Santhome Cathedral. It’s one of the most popular neighborhoods in Chennai and is a go-to area for travelers. It’s known for its traditional Tamil Brahmin homes and there’s a lot of nice local eateries where you can enjoy South Indian food!
There’s also a lot of street markets where you can shop for souvenirs and various items. Overall, it’s a nice place to walk around and explore, especially if you are going to the temple and cathedral. You can shop around and enjoy a nice meal while you’re there. It’s basically known as the cultural hub of Chennai.
#5 Government Museum
The Government Museum, also known as the Madras Museum, is one of the oldest museums in India. It has a huge collection and features a wide range of galleries. It’s a beautiful space that’s been really nicely maintained and has a lot to explore.
Some of the best things to see in the museum include the Bronze Gallery which has ancient bronze artworks, mostly statues of gods and goddesses. They also have an anthropology section about evolution which is interesting as well as a Children’ Museum.
I would say this is probably the best Museum in Mumbai along with the Fort St. George Museum (more about that later) and both are very different from each other. It’s also only 250 rupees ($3 USD) so it’s a very cheap activity that you can enjoy for a while!
#6 Fort St. George Museum
The Fort St. George Museum and an interesting place to visit where you can learn about the colonial history of Chennai and Tamil Nadu. It was an old fortress built by the British and has been turned into a museum. It’s been nicely restored and maintained so it’s quite fun to walk around the inside and see what it would’ve been like in the past.
There are a lot of artifacts from the colonial period like artwords, coins, uniforms, etc. to see. There’s also St. Mary’s Church just outside the museum. It’s the oldest Anglican church in India! Nothing too dramatic, but it’s an interesting piece of history to see!
It’s also worth seeing the Madras High Court which is a beautiful and iconic building right next to the museum.
#7 Guindy National Park
Guindy National Park was one of my favorite places to visit in Chennai! It’s really a national park in the city. That being said, it’s not super huge but definitely makes you feel like your stepping out of the city hustle.
There are really beautiful and well-maintained trails to walk around. There’s also deer in the wild which you’ll probably see. There’s also a Children’s Park which is like a zoo where you can see different animals and it’s a great activity if you’re traveling with kids. They do also have some notices about conservation efforts as well.
I recommend going in the morning when it’s a bit cooler. You can enjoy walking around and it’s a great mini escape into nature for half a day!
#8 Arignar Anna Zoological Park (Vandalur Zoo)
The Arignar Anna Zoological Park is on the outskirts of Chennai and is one of the largest zoological parks in South Asia. It’s a beautiful place to explore and see all kinds of animals. It’s really like a wildlife sanctuary and animals are kept in large open enclosures which is like their natural habitat.
They have different safaris you can go on which I would recommend because it’s a huge park to walk through. They have over 1500 species including some endangered animals. Some of the highlights are the Bengal tiger, lion and chimps! They also have a nice butterfly house which is pretty to see.
#9 DakshinaChitra Museum
The DakshinaChitra Museum is one of the best places to visit in Chennai for foreign travelers. It’s an open-air living history museum just outside of Chennai where you can learn a lot about the culture of South India. I say it’s great for travelers coming from outside of India because it really gives you a sense about what life is like for people who live there.
You can walk through typical homes from southern states like Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka. The houses are decorated to look like real typical homes of each region. They also have live artists who create pottery and weave silk which is interesting to see.
DakshinaChitra Museum also hosts workshops and cultural performances. I never participated in any, but saw flyers for them while I was there. It’s a bit hard to find upcoming events on their website but you can check their newsletter at the bottom of the page, or give them a call before you go.
This post was all about the best places to visit in Chennai.
